The Art of Literary Nomenclature

ORIGIN:
Alternately spelled “Bessie“, a diminutive of “Elizabeth“, meaning “oath of God”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bess, Bessie, Betje, Bette, Betsy, Bettie, Bettina, Betty, Bettye, Buffy, Let, Lettie, Letty, Pet, Pettie, Tess, Tessie, Tessy, Tetty, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bessy is the name Mr. Sedley uses for his wife after her death (although earlier she is called “Mary“), in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).

Tagged: 1810s, 1820s, 1840s, B, English

§ 3 Responses to Bessy

• Mary | The Art of Literary Nomenclature says:

  August 6, 2014 at 5:16 am

  […] Mary Sedley is Amelia Sedley’s mother (although later her husband refers to her as “Bessy“) in Vanity […]

  LikeLike

  Reply
• Bessie | The Art of Literary Nomenclature says:

  August 15, 2014 at 10:48 am

  […] spelled “Bessy“, a diminutive of “Elizabeth“, meaning “oath of […]

  LikeLike

  Reply
• Bess | The Art of Literary Nomenclature says:

  August 15, 2014 at 10:55 am

  […] version of “Bessie” / “Bessy“, a diminutive of […]

  LikeLike

  Reply